Israel will is “immediately” intensifying its strikes on Gaza to increase pressure on HamasIDF (Israel Defense Forces) spokesman Vice Admiral Daniel Hagari said on Saturday, with “zero hour” for the ground operation appearing to be approaching.

“We must enter the next phase of the war under the best conditions, not according to what everyone tells us. As of today, we are increasing the strikes and minimizing the risk,” Hagari told a news conference, likely referring to the major ground attack.

In the past, Israel has pounded areas near the Gaza border with artillery and airstrikes to dampen resistance immediately before launching a ground invasion, the Times of Israel reports.

“They kill their own people”

One fifth of the rockets launched by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in recent hours, they fell in Gaza killing civilians, the IDF official said earlier.

Daniel Hagari spoke for more than 500 rockets.

“They kill their own people” he said characteristically.

The announcement came just days after Hamas accused Israel of firing a rocket that hit Gaza’s Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, killing dozens of people. According to information from the Israeli army and international researchers, the rocket came from the Islamic Jihad.

Haggari said, however, that Israel continues to attack Hamas military targets in the northern Gaza Strip in preparation for an imminent ground invasion. Israel planned to enter Gaza last week, but was delayed first by weather conditions and then by a request from the United States to allow humanitarian aid into the southern part of the strip first.

The number of hostages was revised to 210

Hagari also updated the number of soldiers killed, as well as hostages. He said that Israel had contactedwith the families of 307 fallen Israeli soldiers so far. Also, raised the number of hostages to 210noting that the country is constantly gathering information and updating families as soon as they learn anything new.

“That number will continue to change, and we will update you every time we tell a new family” that their loved one has been kidnapped,” the IDF spokesman noted.